Team for the future apparently, we aren’t worried about single game results, despite the rhetoric prior to the match of “I’m not worried about the future I’m field a team for this game ahead of us…”

So England have successfully show everyone else how France have improved and how shit & toothless our players are.   You have to watch the U20’s running lines to appreciate support & good rugby instead of this 1 on 1 business.

Manu out (Groin)

Watson confirmed as broken again for Saturday; reoccurrence if the same calf injury.

And Eddie has started poking the hornets nest referring to Scotland as niggly…why can’t he just keep his trap shut? We’re under enough pressure without him being a dick b

Will Furbank get picked again, he was awful v France.

Liam still broken for Wales but Watkins is fit and him or Tompkins could play 13, would McNicol get dropped with North going to 14?
Will Moriarty start or will they think Faletau will improve.

And Eddie has started poking the hornets nest referring to Scotland as niggly

Well, he is speaking the truth about that. If Scotland played as well as they niggle they’d be world beaters. 😀

I hear the plan is to have Ryan Wilson as a waterboy.

If that’s any indication then yup, expect niggle 🙂

Bit rich coming from the man who picks Owen Farrell, Joe Marler, and Maro Itoje.

Will Furbank get picked again, he was awful v France.

Well it’s him or Daly, neither particularly inspiring choices. But this is what happens when you pick / keep injured players in the squad.

Daly might well be needed at centre given we’re looking short there too.

Ewels has been dropped…one good thing. Bad news is that Youngs is still knocking about…

The retained players are:

Forwards

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens)

Backs

Elliot Daly (Saracens), Ollie Devoto (Exeter Chiefs), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Eddie has named his squad…

Furbank; May, Joseph, Farrell, Daly; Ford, Heinz; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Kruis, Itoje, Ludlam, Underhill, Curry

Replacements: Dunn, Genge, Stuart, Launchbury, Lawes, Earl, Youngs, Devoto

Curry still at eight but at least there is a flanker playing at flanker this week.

Joseph is a fine player but he needs a bosher at 12 to be at his best which simply isn’t Farrell.

The bench worries be with no back three cover. Youngs will win his 97th cap off the bench…what the hell does he need to do to get dropped? Not feeling hopeful at all.

No balance in backrow or midfield. What does Lawes need to do to get picked at lock, can we have him?

Maybe if we can have Tompkins back?

I don’t think the Calcutta cup will be leaving Scotland again this year.

WALES TEAM TO PLAY IRELAND (Saturday February 8 KO 14.15 ITV & S4C)

15. Leigh Halfpenny (86 Caps)
14. George North (92 Caps)
13. Nick Tompkins (1 Cap)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (26 Caps)
11. Josh Adams (22 Caps)
10. Dan Biggar (80 Caps)
9. Tomos Williams (17 Caps)
1. Wyn Jones (23 Caps)
2. Ken Owens (74 Caps)
3. Dillon Lewis (23 Caps)
4. Jake Ball (43 Caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (C) (135 Caps)
6. Aaron Wainwright (19 Caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (73 Caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (73 Caps)

Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias (10 Caps)
17. Rhys Carre (6 Caps)
18. Leon Brown (7 Caps)
19. Adam Beard (20 Caps)
20. Ross Moriarty (42 Caps)
21. Gareth Davies (51 Caps)
22. Owen Williams (3 Caps)
23. Johnny McNicholl (1 Cap)​

I may be being stupid here, but who’s covering for Biggar? Parkes?

Owen Williams is a 10 who can play 12.

Maybe if we can have Tompkins back?

I don’t think the Calcutta cup will be leaving Scotland again this year.

If Scotland have a significant improvement in the opposition 22 then maybe. Can’t see that happening somehow.

Aren’t we a bunch of cheery fans 🙂

McNicholl’s also played 10 in NZ, although a while ago.

Ta, both. I guess we’ll find out exactly who o on Saturday. The Wales team looks good to me. Let’s hope they can cope with what the Ireland team will bring.

Owen Williams is covering 10 and 12 Parkes has played 10 for Scarlets but he’s shit at it. North will cover 13. Mcnicol wing and full back.

Seeing the England team, I think it would not be unreasonable for Scotland fans to be fairly optimistic. Really hoping for some dreadful weather and a niggly match.

But we’ll bottle it again. We’ll think England are on the backfoot and instead of going hammer and tongs we’ll sit back and expect the win. A couple of the English young guns are up for it and that’ll be enough.

I don’t remember a 6 Nations where all the home nations were talking their own teams down so much. Even Italy seem to have somehow gone backwards.

France look like the only ones with anything to be positive about at the moment but I can’t help but think they are going to do something very French before the end of the tournament so I wouldn’t say they’re nailed on to win.

It could actually be a very interesting tournament.

Saracens could be out of Euro Cup for playing an ineligible player!!!

Saracens could be out of Euro Cup for playing an ineligible player!!!

Are there any stories saying they could be out? Haven’t seen any saying that myself. I would be surprised if they got kicked out, tbh, although it does seem to be open season on them at the moment.

No word on punishment yet as far as I can see.

Apparently Agen got docked 4 points in 2000, Grenoble were docked 4 points in 2013, and London Irish were docked 2 points some other time. All for similar offences. Although I think they were fielding an ineligible player, whereas the Sarries guys work permit had run out the day before so slightly different.

2 points would be enough for Glasgow to take their place though I think….

Although I think they were fielding an ineligible player, whereas the Sarries guys work permit had run out the day before so slightly different.

Not in the fact he was ineligible.

That’ll be a big blow for Sarries; I think I they would probably have gone all out in Europe after accepting relegation. Oh well, balls to them. The knew the rules and tried to be clever to get round them.

As for tomorrow, I can’t see passed a Scottish win; they had a clear game plan last week and are at home against an English team with a shit scrum half, a flanker at eight, a light weight mid field and a bench packed with forwards. Add into the equation that the Sarries boys are out of sorts and it’s hard to be positive. I won’t see it live because I’ll be riding to avoid the storm due land Sunday.

Reckon that Ireland will do enough to win at home and France will either be French and struggle against Italy or blow them off the pitch.

I think this is going to come down to whether they want them out of the competition or not, rather than precedents or the exact wording of the rules.

Would it be too embarrassing if they won?

This thread has gone from most people being glass-half-full types, to glass-half-empty. Certainly the Scotland v England, and Ireland v France games are difficult to call imho. Surely France will win comfortably though.
Not being a huge sports fan, I can’t decide if I prefer a game like Wales v Italy, which you can be fairly relaxed when watching (although not certain); or a much closer game like Ireland v Wales.

Not in the fact he was ineligible

Well yeah, but the Sarries guy was at least registered for Europe but then his visa ran out. Which is slightly different than playing an unregistered player.

All I’m saying is that the previous offences possibly don’t set precedence…maybe….

Personally, I’d find it funny if they got kicked out!

I think Ireland Wales is about 60:40 in Irelands favour. Scotland England is anyones guess and France should win so will most likely lose.

Sarries getting dicked again…

Sale 21 nil up after 20 odd minutes. They’re almost a walking bonus point.

Englands main issue IMO is playing Ford and Farrell. It just does not work!

I think England will win tho. Too much power for scotland.

Youngs will win his 97th cap off the bench…what the hell does he need to do to get dropped?

Get to 100……

Sarries are still in Europe; no points deduction but a €50k fine with bald suspended.

Englands main issue IMO is playing Ford and Farrell. It just does not work!

When it does it’s good though; that was the starting combo vs. NZ a few months ago. The lack of form players in key positions is a bigger issue.

Well, I didn’t see this coming

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12306986

Englands main issue IMO is playing Ford and Farrell. It just does not work!

Ford and Farrell works if you have some power runners around them, the welsh Vunipola is back this weekend isnt he? That’ll help but they will miss Vunipola 2 and Tuilagi. England need a straight runner at 12 to bring in Joseph or Slade, two class players who havent performed for England in ages due to the system. Theres no reason why Faz couldnt do it he’s big enough to do the job a far inferior player in Parkes does for Wales, he’s just not asked to do it in the english system or wont for some reason.

Well, I didn’t see this coming

We need a world wide season structure not this and we dont want the Six Nations on pay TV either it’ll kill the game.

we dont want the Six Nations on pay TV either it’ll kill the game.

This! It would be an awful move.

I think Ireland Wales is about 60:40 in Irelands favour. Scotland England is anyones guess and France should win so will most likely lose.

Also, pretty much this, although I think it’s more 55:45 Ireland Wales. Close, but Ireland have the advantage and I’m nauseous already. It will be a tense viewing. I can’t see France losing though, I’m wondering if they’ll score more than the 42 Wales did last week – it would not surprise me.